By Chuck Woodbury
ROADSIDE JOURNAL
I was posting a short news story recently on RVtravel.com about how lots of campers were planning a camping trip in 2022. It was right around two-thirds of all campers would be out there in the wilds of America (or at a family-friendly RV park with playgrounds and bouncing pillows).
The article was based on a news release from KOA, about a study it had done recently.
As I often do, I looked for a photo that I could use to illustrate the article. I have many sources especially for use by the media, including ones provided by GoRVing, a promotional arm of the Recreational Vehicle Industry Association. I chose one that showed a family of four sitting together in a pop-up trailer. I didn’t pay much attention to the photo at first: It looked fine.
But then when I selected it to paste into the article, I looked closer. The entire family was holding a computer or tablet device. The photo is above.
And I thought: This is camping?? What exactly makes this scene any different than the four of them sitting on their sofa at home?
Everyone in the RV business likes to portray RVing as a way to get out in nature. Tell me, exactly, how this is about nature?
##RVT1046
Now that I am an old man (88) I’ve accepted that some people, me now included, consider living in an RV is camping. Below the age of 40 camping had two sub categories – car camping was when you travelled by car to a location (like Yosemite) and lived at that location with a tent for a week or 2 or 3 or more. And the other category was hiking for days or weeks carrying your food, clothing and supplies in a pack on your back. This some call back-packing. Travelling in a trailer or motorhome I never considered camping, it’s what we’ve been doing for the last 4+ years living in a house on wheels. But there is a BIG difference between what I “consider” and what I understand when the speaker is another RVer.
A while back in the local clinic I waited for my appointment and noticed a half-dozen other elders like myself, men and women, all with heads bowed while fingering their fondle slabs. Some were smart phones, a couple were tablets. Only one lonely soul in the corner was looking around, seemingly lost that no magazines were available due to Covid restrictions.
So don’t be surprised. I walk through WalMart and routinely see folks carrying their smart phones, texting while they walk.
As for camping, I s’pose anything goes as long as it’s stationary in a designated area. Even KOA calls ’em “Kamping Kabins” … and our state parks now advertise yurts for luxury campers.
The big problem facing society now will be drawing a line between “campers” and “homeless,” and I don’t think it will be pretty.
The homeless invasion in campgrounds has started full force,
People choosing to live fulltime in an RV or van and staying in a campground would disagree with you. That is, by choice, their home. But most of them don’t spend money on campgrounds. They stay free on BLM or other government-owned land for up to 14 days at a time. There is a homeless crisis due to poverty and like any other population, a percentage of those who live in RVs are living unhealthy lives. But you won’t find them in campgrounds either. They cost too much.
That’s just sad!
Why? What’s it to you/us? A family of four, sitting together, no matter the location, together. Look at all the blogs, podcasts stringing up with regards to RV’ing. How’s that being done? FT RV’ers, how are you communicating? Oversized class A, how much electronics do you have inside that many in CG’s don’t ever see you come out? Don’t cut and paste and say this the real thing or assume a storyline. We’ve become to judge mental and criticize way too much. Different strokes for different folks. Enjoy your life, why worry, be happy!
Maybe they are inspiring writers writing for RVT! LOL!
Perhaps it’s time for the RVIA to get in touch with what camping is, or at least used to be. I appreciate the comfort of my RV, especially during days that are rained out or unseasonably cold. But sitting indoors is much cheaper at home. Apparently, the RVIA is more about commercializing nature then they would like to admit.
Everyone setting around with their ” Face in a Phone ” defeats the purpose of getting outside and seeing how Natures perfect balance works.
While nature and the outdoors definitely are more available to a camper or RVer, I think the focus of RVing today, especially for young families like the one in the photo is to bring them together. Yes, these folks are all on devices but they’re not engrossed in their daily routines and spread out in different rooms, they’re together, perhaps sharing an app, game or even just googling trivia. So next is dinner together at the picnic table then maybe fitting in a 30 minute walk, ranger presentation or visit with a neighboring camper. It’s still all good for families.
Rather sad. Go to a nice restaurant and see the dating couples, both with their heads in their phones,
Probably one of the reasons divorce rates are so high, they didn’t put their phone down long enough to get to know their prospective partner.
Divorce was at 50% for decades before cell phones were invented!
I think it’s ok to bring your phones and computers camping. You can still enjoy nature and all the other things too. Just don’t spend the whole day face-timing with your device.
Spend all day doing whatever makes you happy, it’s called Freedom.
Maybe the parents are home schooling their children in that picture. Lots of young families live in an RV.
Afterwards, they’ll all run outside and enjoy nature!!
I may be wrong but, not many live in a pop up camper.
doesn’t look like a pop up.
It isn’t always about getting away to nature, sometimes camping is about just getting away!
There’s camping, and there’s RVing. If and when the kids do go outside, they will be running and screaming or riding bicycles and screaming or riding scooters and screaming, all of which they do at home.
Silence is what you get when you’re dead. Be glad you can hear all that noise because the deaf can not and would give anything to be able to. Live every day like it could be the last.
Bingo, Chuck! I wish they’d just stay home, if this is all they want to do while “camping”. It would make our experiences SO much nicer…
Their laying on the bed using electronics ruins your experience? Get a life!
Maybe they are researching where their next hike, bike ridge or local attraction is. Stop being so judgemental. Camping or RVing is what they make of it. I’m sure our parents who camped in tents would shake their heads at these houses on wheels staying at campsites that cost the same as or more than a hotel room. Try to find something good in the world and others not “Why aren’t they just like me??”
I see this quite often, except they are sitting in camp chairs or picnic tables. So sad..
Kids need to get off their phones and run and play.
It’s not. But there seems to be no greater concern in buying an RV than how many/how big are its TVs, and no greater concern in parking it than whether or not there’s WiFi. Welcome to modern “camping.”
WOW! So sad. We were just watching an episode of Going RVing and as in most of the episodes the people are asking for sleeping areas as far apart as possible and doors, not curtains for privacy. We commented that this is the new “camping ” problem. You are supposed to be having fun family togetherness time. Laying in bed chatting, giggling and enjoying each other. People these days camping are looking for privacy, their own space, etc. Not my words, theirs. That is what their bedroom at home is for.
Avoid the angst of questioning the purpose of RV’ing and camping by relieving yourself of the concern for what camping should be for others. Make camping yours and leave the purpose of camping to others. For some it is still enjoying nature and getting outdoors but for plenty of others it’s something else – and who is in a position to argue its purpose for me or anyone? It’s not productive thought.
Well said.
So many people just want to pick other peoples lives apart!
Live your life your way and leave everyone else ALONE!
That picture is not even real. It is some fake family doing some kind of marketing.
The experts apparently agree. This picture depicts ‘real’ people. All you complainers are out of line!
Maybe its been pouring rain and the sun just came out! Can’t be any worse than watching a modern Tv movie or program! When they should be enjoying fresh air – that’s when it is sad to see kids with their faces glued to a screen!
(And a note to “Gray”: I wonder if I was the one in the waiting room?… Hmmm).
The premise of the article is that someone else can pass judgement on what “camping” is and what it is not. After retiring and going on the road full time, I know that one doesn’t change their living habits over night. We realize that if we lived our working life indoors when not at work, why would we suddenly change our life style to someone else’s vision of living in a camper? It isn’t reasonable and rather insulting that someone would consider my life style as “wrong” and wish to write about it.
re:someone else can pass judgement on what “camping” is and what it is not
Agreed, and many RVers don’t consider themselves campers.
Lol, so you are passing judgment on the article author because he is passing judgment?
I think you missed the point. The author is judging but he isn’t judging the family. He is judging the RVIA and their marketing about getting out into nature and camping while using images that have no real bearing on what they are promoting. If you are going to push the narrative that RVing is a way to escape into nature don’t do it with images of a family all on their own devices, isolated from nature by four walls.
Above is the best comment I’ve seen so far. Live how ever you please, but please don’t call it “nature”!
As a disabled person without temperature regulation, this is how I experience nature. I’m not less than for having an accessible nature experience.
Maybe we should stop being so judgemental about how others camp. Young folks like their technology and the “times they are a’changing.” 😁
If you’re going to write an article bitching about other’s life choices, get your facts straight.
1) It’s not a pop up.
2) This family is known as “Exploring the Local Life”. They are a very popular full-time RV family who moves from city to city following his job.
3) They road school their kids and so they are probably doing school work.
4) Jessica is a freelance writer and a ghost writer for the RV industry.
5) This picture is a few years old now.
6) It’s none of your business what they do in the privacy of their home.
Hey!! Thanks for the support! 🙂
They are not in nature. They are not “camping.” They have probably parked an RV next to another RV somewhere.
I don’t think it would be difficult to pick which commenters wouldn’t think twice about cutting through your campsite.
This is exactly what the wife and I do when we camp and it’s raining outside or we had a full day of activities. We need to catch up and post our adventures online. You have to take a break sometime.
i keep several books I have not read. I also put on a poncho and sandals so I can hike in the rain. Some folks park their RV, turn on the TV, and no one sees them till they leave. If folks are happy inside on their computers, good for them.
Here is their website since you posted their picture: — Exploring the Local Life
You’ll find many pictures of this family living as full-time RVers in many settings including “nature”.
Thanks for the support. 😀
I’m a day behind in reading this issue of RVtravel. Rough crowd in here today!
For me it’s no WiFi, no problem. Leaving most of that stuff behind as boondocking is my idea of camping. I turn on the TV for news and weather but not to stay inside unless it’s raining.
That’s my family!! We were full-time RVers, so while we did spend a lot of time on our tablets and computers (working and learning), we also spent a fair amount of time hiking, building epic campfires, and other typical “camping” activities. 🙂
A photo is merely a moment in time, not the entirety of existence.
Ah yes, I remember pulling into a campground and a gentleman of certain age behind me in line expressing his opinions with gusto when I asked if I could test the data signal at the site first. I calmly explained (though it was none of his business) that I was full time and had a job and went on my way.
Later he and his wife pulled in across the street from me. He sat outside and promptly pulled out his e-book and didn’t move from that position all afternoon while I sat at my desk and earned my living.
I’ve had opinions expressed that as a disabled person it isn’t worth it for me to be in the campground since I cannot hike and when it is hot cannot leave my AC, as well as that opinion about my work. Opinions about what part of the country I spend most of the year in (near my doctors), I even had a gentleman march up to my site with an opinion about how I set up my sewer tube. Dude, I just wanted some time with my feces in peace.
It’s probably better if we mind our own business.
Folks today are unclear on the concept of camping… Since when did “getting away from it all” come to mean “you can bring it all with you”?
Hardly family time, never mind camping. Modern “family” is a mere ghost of the traditional meaning.